


Promise

by GlitchTheRoboticShadow



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Guilt ridden Nico, Guilt ridden Percy, HoO - Freeform, Injured Will Solace, M/M, PJO, Possible Character Death, Worried Nico Di Angelo, solangelo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-21
Updated: 2015-07-21
Packaged: 2018-04-10 13:03:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4393004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GlitchTheRoboticShadow/pseuds/GlitchTheRoboticShadow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nico's senses were numb. Everything happening around him was blurred and the commotion of fighting and yelling drifted into a distant buzz as he sprinted for the shore line. He couldn't think, his mind was a jumbled mess of worry and fear. He felt like he was dreaming, like his legs were heavy and he was comically running in place as some disturbed retribution for the bad things he'd done in his past.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Promise

Nico's senses were numb. Everything happening around him was blurred and the commotion of fighting and yelling drifted into a distant buzz as he sprinted for the shore line. He couldn't think, his mind was a jumbled mess of worry and fear. He felt like he was dreaming, like his legs were heavy and he was comically running in place as some disturbed retribution for the bad things he'd done in his past.

He'd never experienced this kind of pure panic. His nerves were simultaneously numb and hyper sensitive. Every part of him ached, though no physical injury could be found on his body. If he weren't so focused, he'd have been doubled over, hurling this morning's breakfast over the wet sand of the beach.

The monsters that he'd previously been fighting off, were drowned out in a wave of anger. Darkness engulfing them and mercilessly sending them back to Tartarus. None of this even registered in Nico's brain. He had tunnel vision. He needed to get there. He needed to get to Will.

A crimson river made its way from the blond's torso and into the blue of the sea. Will's hand clutched his abdomen as he sputtered in pain, his usually tan and lively face, dangerously pale and strained. Nico had been there, so close to the edge. He remembered the appeal of just letting go. The thought of being whisked away, to finally be at peace, was an awfully tempting one. If he'd almost let go, what was stopping Will from doing the same?

Nico slid to a stop at Will's side, not even realizing that he was crying until the tears cleaned some blood from the gaping wound beneath him. He placed pressure on the injury with one hand and wrapped his other arm around the boy, before dissolving into the shadows and reemerging back at camp. 

"Help!" Nico called as soon as they appeared in the archery range. He was exhausted, all his energy spent on finishing off the monsters and shadow-traveling back to camp.

Campers flocked around them. Austin, a son of Apollo, took Will and started carrying him to the clinic. Nico tried to follow but collapsed to the ground, the edge of his vision growing dark and blurry. His head was groggy and nausea was creeping up on him.

Kayla helped him up and commanded the other campers to clear out and help with anything Austin might need. She wrapped Nico's arm over her shoulder, helping him to the clinic.

"Come on, Di Angelo, we need to get you some ambrosia." She muttered, as Nico limped and barely carried his weight.

He would've replied but he was overwhelmed with exhaustion and terror. His eyes started to droop closed but Kayla swiftly slapped him, "I need you to stay awake. We're almost there."

She ushered him through the door and sat him down, before hurriedly grabbing some ambrosia and practically shoving it down Nico's throat.

"I'm fine." Nico said as she insisted he eat  _just a little more._

"You shadow-traveled a long way." She said, bouncing on the balls of her feet, clutching the ambrosia in her fingertips. Her eyes were red and Nico was pretty sure she was trying not to cry.

"Where's Will? Is he okay?"

Kayla held up a finger and went into the other room, where Nico could hear rigid orders being given.

She emerged, her face gaunt and her fingers intertwined as she fiddled her thumbs. She looked at Nico with teary eyes, "He's lost a lot of blood. Austin," Her voice broke and she cleared her throat, "Austin and I will do everything we can." And with that, she ducked back into the other room, joining the chaos.

Nico felt so useless, just sitting there, waiting for the inevitable results that could very well tear his world apart. Guilt swam through him. If he had just done a better job protecting Will. If he had just said no to the stupid quest in the first place. No one liked prophecies anyway, why did he have to agree to fix it? Kayla had made him promise to protect Will before they left. He failed.

The image of Will sprawled on the beach, a copious amount of blood spilling from his torso, was etched into his memory, popping up without permission, each time in more vivid detail.

Annabeth left the room Will was being healed in, pulling off her gloves and throwing them into the garbage can. "He's in pretty bad shape, Nico." She warned, her brow furrowed. "But we're going to save him."

"You don't know that." Nico snapped, glaring at Annabeth. He wasn't angry with her in any way, but he had so much pent up fury and despair that it just oozed from him. By the way her face softened, she knew the animosity wasn't actually directed at her.

"Will saved my life. During the Battle of Manhattan. I was stabbed and he healed me. Now I'm going to help do the same for him. Have some hope, Nico."

Nico's leg twitched as he chewed on his bottom lip, trying to keep calm and prevent himself from having a panic attack. He stood up abruptly, "I should leave. I'm the son of Hades, I'm probably making whatever's going on in there worse." He waved vaguely toward the door.

Annabeth pushed him on the shoulders, forcing him to sit. "He'd want you here. You're not hurting anyone, Nico."

She left to who knows where. Nico would have asked, but he figured she must've had something important to do, considering Will's life was on the line. But within a  couple of minutes, she came back in, immediately going back to help Will.

Nico wished he could go back there and check on him, tell him he was sorry and that he loved him. How could he have let this happen? How could he have been so stupid?

Percy rushed into the room, halting in the doorway and marching up to Nico. "Oh my gods, I just heard, are you okay?" He asked, worry etched on his face.

"Does it look like I'm okay?" Nico spat, standing up and moving passed Percy. He didn't want to be mean or angry but he was about to explode from worry. He just wanted to see Will. To hold him and hug him. He just wanted him to be okay.

Percy just sighed and followed Nico as he paced the room, "He's going to be okay."

"You can't say that-there's no guarantee!" 

"I promise, Nico, we're going to save him."

Nico turned on his heels, crowding Percy's space. His face was burning and all his anger bubbled to the surface. He felt like he was so exposed but so alone, like he was the one on an operating table. "Really? And what happened last time you promised to protect someone I love?!"

Percy's face fell, his mouth hung open. He took a step back and sighed, rubbing a hand through his hair. "Nico, I-"

"Percy, we need you for the blood transfusion now." Annabeth said, poking her head through the door.

"He's going to live. He's stubborn." Percy said, before leaving to help Annabeth.

From there, it all mushed together. So many people shuffled through the room, either helping Austin and the others, or comforting Nico. He didn't pay much attention to them, too lost in the darkness of his own imagination. He barely even registered Jason sitting next to him along with Hazel. She'd come all the way from Camp Jupiter to be with him, but he couldn't even muster a greeting.

There was no doubt that Will would go to Elysium. He was one of the greatest people Nico'd ever met. A true hero. He'd be happy there, maybe he'd choose reincarnation like Bianca. What would happen if Nico followed him there? Would he go to Elysium simply because he's the son of Hades, or would he go to the Fields of Asphodel because of his questionable actions?

It didn't matter, all he wanted was to be with Will and that wasn't going to happen. He couldn't even imagine what Will was going through. The thoughts that raced through his head while laying on that beach.

Nico was startled from his haze by Kayla smacking into him, wrapping him in the tightest hug he'd ever received. She buried her face in the crook of his neck, he could feel her tears on his skin. "He made it! He's okay!" She sobbed, hugging him impossibly tighter, "Thank you."

Nico, despite himself, hugged her back. Overwhelmed with happiness and relief. "C-can I see him?"

Kayla sniffled and pulled back, a lopsided grin on her face. "Yeah. He's probably still unconscious, but he'll wake up in a few." She rubbed her eyes and detached herself from Nico, getting off his chair.

Hazel squeezed his hand and grinned at him before letting go. He walked into the room to see Will unconscious on the table. He sobbed as he grabbed Will's hand and rapidly planted kisses all along it.

Percy and Annabeth stood in the corner in a tight embrace. Both visibly shaken by the events. Austin was silently cleaning up his tools, casting quick glances at the sleeping blond.

"Hey," Will said, his eyes barely open.

"I hate you." Nico smiled through his tears, "Don't ever do that again, Solace."

Will's smile was weak but still full of warmth, like always, "Promise."

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly, I'm not too proud of this one but I liked the prompt I received from my-patronus-is-a-star on Tumblr. It's a bit hard to write these situations because I've never been in the position of possibly losing a loved one. But still, I tried. Let me know what you think in the comments.


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